SEASIDE SPARROW. 347 



and its flesh is even imbued with the rank or fishy taste to be 

 expected from the nature of its food. At other times it re- 

 mains amidst the thickest of the sea-grass, and climbs upon 

 the herbage with as much dexterity as it runs on the ground. 

 Its feet and legs for this purpose are robust, as in the Swamp 

 Sparrow. It appears to rear two broods in the season. In 

 May and June the Seaside Finch may be seen almost at all 

 hours perched on the top of some rank weed near the salt- 

 marsh, singing with much emphasis the few notes which com' 

 pose its monotonous song. When approached it seeks refuge 

 in the rank grass by descending down the stalks, or flies off to 

 a distance, flirting its wings, and then, alighting suddenly, runs 

 off' with great nimbleness. 



The Seaside Finch is now considered a rare bird in Massachu- 

 setts, though an abundant summer resident of the salt marshes of 

 southern Connecticut. It breeds southward to North Carolina, 

 and winters in the Southern States. 



Note. — Scott's Seaside Sparrow (A. maritimus penin- 

 sulm) was first described from specimens taken by Mr. W. E. D. 

 Scott at Tarpon Springs, Florida, in 1888. It is intermediate in 

 coloration between A. nigrescens and A. maritimus. 



This race is found in South Carolina and Florida, and along the 

 Gulf coast to Texas. 



The Dusky Seaside Sparrow {Ammodramus nigrescens) 

 differs from maritimus in being black above, streaked with olive 

 and gray; beneath white, streaked with black. It was described 

 originally by Mr. C. J. Maynard, who captured the type specimen 

 in 1872, in southern Florida. He reported the bird as quite abun- 

 dant in some localities, but no other collector has been successful 

 in finding it. 



